A "Good Citizen" can be divided into three different categories:

1.) Personally Responsible Citizen- acts responsibly in their community.
Ex: Works and pays taxes, obeys laws, recycles, gives bloods, volunteers in times of need

2.) Participatory Citizen- actively involved in community organizations and/or improving the community.
Ex: Active member of community organizations and/or improvement efforts, Organizes community efforts to care for those in need, promote economic development or clean up environment, knows how government agencies work, knows strategies for accomplishing collective tasks.

3.) Justice- oriented Citizen- Tries to find the causes of social, political and economic injustices within the community along with their solutions.
Ex: Knows about social movements and how to effect systemic change, Explores why people are hungry and acts to solve root causes.

{gmacareno}

Westheimer, Joel and Kahne, Joseph. 2004. Educating the “Good” Citizen: Political Choices and Pedagogical Goals. PS: Political Science & Politics, 37: 241-247.

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The Mark of a Good Citizen
Good citizens understand that they have a responsibility to the community, environment and law. You can instill in your child the virtue of citizenship by explaining the difference between good and bad citizenship.

Traits of good citizenship:

• Being a good neighbor by caring about others.
• Sharing your time and skills to the community to make it better, cleaner and safer.
• Conserving resources by practicing the three R's: Reduce. Re-use. Recycle.
• Staying informed on issues and voicing your opinions by voting.

Traits of bad citizenship:

• Looking out only for yourself.
• Littering and wasting resources.
• Leaving all political matters to the so-called "experts"

>http://www.parenting.org/archive/discovery/life_lessons/2001-02/Nov02_good_citizen.asp

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Teaching Good Citizenship

by Alan Ross - freelance writer (http://www.americanprofile.com/article/3282.html)

• There is no one right way to be a good citizen, no approved list of actions.
• Examples Actions:
  • Befriend an elderly neighbor
  • Donate blood
  • Give away things you don't use
  • Pick up a piece of trash each day
  • Serve on a jury if asked
  • Particapate in an organ donor program
  • Read the Constitution, Buill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence

{kleasure}

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Good Citizen

Teaching Americans to be Effective Citizens (http://www.goodcitizen.org)

• Most Americans see citizenship as voting, jury duty and occasional community service. Keeping democracy strong demands much more. We as citizens must be vigilant and involved. We must each make small sacrifices every day by doing simple, yet powerful citizen actions.

{kleasure}

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Some things you can do to become a better citizen

• Respect others and their property.
• Be helpful and considerate and willing to put others first.
• Listen to the views of others and think about what others have to say.
• Help people who are not in a position to help themselves.
• Respect the environment and do not damage it in anyway.
• Work hard.
• Be well mannered and pleasant.
• Always be willing to learn
• http://www.technologystudent.com/pse1/citiz1.htm

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